


Not a Garden

by thegreatwordologist



Series: A Garden to Walk In [1]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Anger, Asexual Character, Awkwardness, Background Heero/Relena - Freeform, College AU, M/M, Mentions of Suicide Attempts, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Name-Calling, Soulmate AU, Verbal Fighting, aloof Wufei, mentions of child abuse, oblique references to animal abuse in chapter 15, talking it out rather than festering, unbetaed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:40:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 13,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreatwordologist/pseuds/thegreatwordologist
Summary: It was far too warm for his attire, but the long sleeves would stay.
Relationships: Chang Wufei/Duo Maxwell
Series: A Garden to Walk In [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766383
Comments: 82
Kudos: 20





	1. Puppy Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: You get flowered tattoos wherever your soulmate receives a scar.
> 
> Note: Tags will be updated as I continue, because I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. Also, fair warning: I haven't had the ability to write in quite a while, so this may end up being a permanent work in progress, but I'm gonna try.

The library is crammed with students, but that was no surprise. With Finals fast approaching, and multiple classes demanding large-scale projects or papers, everyone was scrambling to finish. Wufei tamped down the hollow feeling in his chest at the sight of so many people and made his way past the security gate into the library itself, holding himself rigidly upright and ignoring the curious following him. He was aware it was far too warm for his attire, but the long sleeves would stay. 

He caught sight of his target near a wall of windows, and frowned faintly, eyes flicking at the nearby tables until he found one that was half-empty. That would do. 

As he approached the table, its sole occupant looked up, then blinked. He saw the boy's eyes dart over his face and down before he hurriedly glanced at his watch and started scrambling to put everything together. Wufei continued to stare at him as he packed up, ignoring the bright laugh nearby. When Wufei was three steps from the table, the guy strode off, and Wufei smiled grimly. When he set his books on the table, he spread them around, occupying four seats instead of just the one before finally turning his attention to the laughing blonde.

Relena's head twisted to and fro as she tried to avoid stress-dog kisses, but her bright smile said louder than words how happy it made her. Wufei frowned, moving toward her even as he registered the boy at her side. "He likes you," the boy said, his own grin as wide as Relena's, and she laughed again as she looked at him. 

"This is my favorite part of Finals week," she admitted, ruffling dog ears. Wufei wanted to call out to her, to interrupt the conversation so that she could finally join him at the table, but courtesy held him quiet. "I don't think I've met you before," he heard her continue, and she turned her eyes away from the boy down to the dog again. This time, when the dog tried to kiss her, she accepted it. Wufei fought down a shudder of disgust. 

"I'm pretty new to the shelter," the boy admitted, and Wufei paused, startled. His eyes flicked over the boy again, taking in the long braid and long sleeves, and he frowned slowly. 

"You're not another student?" he asked, finally close enough to join the conversation without raising his voice. Relena looked up, then stuck her tongue out at him. He dismissed the childish gesture with a wave of his hand, focused more on what the boy was saying.

"Man, I expected to stand out a hell of a lot more than I apparently do. I'm Duo," he told them both, reaching for a sleek black cat and holding the creature out to Wufei. With his arm outstretched like that, Wufei was able to see a sliver of skin along his wrist. The smooth paleness of scarred flesh met his eyes, and Wufei thought again about his own wrist, and long sleeves. His arms remained at his side.

"I'm Relena," came the girl's answering laugh, and she pulled the dog close to her, snuggling into the warm fur for a moment. "That's my project partner, Wufei." She finally sighed, rolling her shoulders and releasing the dog, who barked a short complaint before someone else caught his attention. Duo didn't seem to notice the dog wander off, but Wufei noticed his shoulders relax slightly when the dog snuggled up against another nearby student.

"Relena," Wufei prompted, and she sighed, getting to her feet and dusting off her jeans. "You're going to be here all week?" she asked Duo. Duo's eyes glanced at her, then returned to Wufei thoughtfully. 

"Yeah," he said finally. Though his words were directed at Relena, Duo's eyes never left Wufei's. "But you know... dogs are a great stress relief for more than just classes." Wufei swallowed quietly, frowning at Duo, and took a step backward. Somehow, it felt like Duo had burned away his shirt, like his eyes were tracing the shapes underneath. And then, finally, Duo turned away, facing Relena fully. "They might even help with something personal," he said, gesturing carelessly at her entire form. Despite her bold determination, Relena pinked, and Wufei found himself stepping between them.

"We have a project," he said firmly, frowning deeply at Duo. Though the library wasn't quiet, he could hear the whisper soft caress of Relena's hand over her own arm as she fought the urge to cover the riot of flowers blooming over her skin. Wufei's eyes were ice-chips, but Duo only smiled at the two of them. 

"Good luck," he said brightly, and his smile was warm and sympathetic. Relena sighed, turning to head toward the table Wufei had claimed. Under her spaghetti straps, more flowers twisted around her shoulders. The sight was old news, but Wufei still hated it.


	2. Long Sleeves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "'Lena thinks you should get a cat."

Flowers were a universal symbol of suffering, but symbols didn't exist in a vacuum. Wufei sat on the bench outside of Relena's class and stared at the flowers lining the window. For now, the sidewalk was mostly empty, giving Wufei time to simply think. Under the dark fabric of his long-sleeved shirt, he was sweating in the late spring heat. He didn't mind the feel of sweat, though it made him look flushed and a little sloppier than he would prefer. He held himself apart, upright and aloof, and ignored the curl of anxiety under his skin at every judging look or rolled eye. To everyone else, he was Chang Wufei - too proper to let down his hair, and too buttoned-up to ever wear anything casual. 

Relena didn't see him like that, and he pretended not to see the sympathy in her eyes. 

"Hey man!" A voice broke through his reverie, accompanied by a bright yap, and Wufei looked over to see the boy from the library walking toward him, one hand wrapped in a leash. Trotting beside him came a corgi, short and white and tan. Its tiny legs worked hard to keep up with Duo. "You were from the library, right?" Without waiting for an invitation, Duo dropped down to the bench beside Wufei, his eyes crinkled with warmth. 

Wufei tensed, but nodded, trying to work out exactly why the thought of Duo sitting near him didn't evoke the nerves most others did. He had no answer for it. He drew a breath, and sat a little straighter as he turned to face Duo. "I am..." 

"Wufei," Duo supplied before he could even finish the short introduction. Duo's smile was a lopsided affair, warm and charming in a way that Wufei marveled at. When Wufei looked up from the soft curve of his lips, however, the cracks were there in his eyes. They were minute, tiny hints that perhaps the smile didn't quite travel all the way up, but Wufei was observant, and something about Duo focused him. "She told me." No need to ask who 'she' was. 

At Duo's feet, the dog wuffed once, then moved to sniff Wufei's leg. It was a mark of his focus on the boy beside him that Wufei barely noticed. "Project over yet?" The words broke through Wufei's thoughts, and he blinked, trying to gather himself away from where he'd been staring. People didn't generally stare silently at others, but for him, it was common enough. The only difference was that here, it didn't seem to put Duo off.

"Not quite," Wufei admitted, forcing himself to look down at his own hands hands folded in his lap rather than return to staring at the impossible brightness of Duo's eyes. "We have about two days left to perfect it." He frowned at himself, hating the way the words had sounded. "I mean..."

Duo waved a hand in the air between them lazily, leaning back against the arm of the bench and settling one knee at the back, so that he could face Wufei fully. "You do you, man. You probably get way better grades than I would anyway." There was humor in that voice, but Wufei couldn't detect any mockery behind it. The thought confused him more. "'Lena thinks you should get a cat." 

...So they were already close enough that she had a nickname. Wufei tamped down his irrational disappointment and huffed. "She doesn't," he argued, rather than comment on the nickname, because Duo wore long sleeves like him, and Relena's shoulders were lined with flowers like him. They were both like Wufei in their way, and yet completely different. 

"She does," Duo grinned. "She's picked one out for you, and I think I agree with her." Wufei resisted the urge to look at him, somehow knowing that there was a sparkle in his eyes, and a quirk on his lips. "You should come by the shelter and see, at least, huh? Maybe meet the little girl?"

As Wufei tried to figure out how to answer the suggestion, the door to the building in front of them opened, and students began streaming out. Some paused on the sidewalk to talk, while others poured out around them, making their way to other classes, or dorms, or food. Relena dropped down between them with a sigh of relief, and Wufei shifted slightly away from her, giving her that tiny bit of more room on the bench as she leaned forward to pet the corgi. 

"I'm hungry," she announced, rather than actually greet them, and Wufei glanced over at her. Duo sat in his line of sight, watching her in bemused fashion. "And I don't want to eat alone." Wufei moved to get up, and Relena's free hand shot out to grab his arm. She rarely touched him, but every time she did, he wondered again at how much strength there was in her firm grip. "So today, I get two dates. C'mon, boys," she said, standing and pointing toward the lot where the food trucks sat. "My treat."

Duo laughed, standing up beside her and looking over at Wufei. "You know, I always heard that it's unlucky to refuse free food when you're in college." Nevermind that he wasn't the one actually in college, Wufei thought, rising a little more sedately. He didn't understand just why he'd been invited along on her lunch date, but he had long ago learned that few people argued with Relena Peacecraft.

"The tacos are best," was his only offering to the odd conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After starting this story, I put it away for the night and thought about what I wanted to do with it and where I wanted it to go. This morning, I realized what I wanted to try, and it galvanized me into getting up early enough to write chapter 2. Here's the thing: I've always seen the concept of Duo and Wufei's relationship as pining and sexual, whether it's when other people write it or when I write it. But that's not what I want here, and not what you're going to get. Instead, I'm shifting my headcanons a little to play with the idea of asexuality here. 
> 
> Here's hoping that it fits as well as I hope it will.


	3. Friendly Disparity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You two been dating long?"

Wufei rarely heard the whispers behind his back, not because they weren't there. As a child, he had practiced his scowl in the same way most of his peers practiced martial arts or piano. It wasn't simply an expression for him. It was a fine art, designed to cow even the most determined of people.

At the tender age of thirteen, Relena withstood his scowl with a grace that surpassed his understanding, and now, nearly a decade later, they remained fast friends. He watched her chat with Duo over lunch, and though Duo's eyes flicked over her flowers time and again, he never said anything about them. That, in itself, was odd. People almost seemed to feel it was their duty to offer some sort of comment, simpering that they were _so_ sorry to see... and they would trail off and wave ineffectually at her bared skin. 

For Wufei, the expression was a scowl and he would turn away from them, slowly enough to ensure they understood the action was deliberate. Relena was different, though. She would smile. Wufei shuddered at the thought of that smile, because it was not warm. It was a promise of broken glass, of frostbite laced with acid. Perhaps that's why they got along so well. Relena was bold enough to dare them, but strong enough to destroy them. 

Duo, however, did not appear to be one of them. Relena reached out, her arm brushing Duo's lightly as she reached past him for some napkins and Wufei blinked when Duo twitched away from her touch. "I have to go, boys," she noted, getting to her feet and tossing her wrappers in the nearby trash can. "Play nice, okay? Duo, I'll see you later, right?"

"Yeah," Duo agreed, nodding cheerfully and waving her off. Wufei bowed slightly in her direction, and scowled when she patted the top of his hair as she passed. Anyone else would have a broken hand after that. Relena was treated to a huff. And then they were alone, or as alone as they could be at a picnic table on campus. Wufei took another bite of his taco. 

"So," Duo muttered, clearing his throat and wiggling one finger under the braid at the base of his skull to scratch awkwardly. Wufei stared at him, wondering if the long hair was as heavy as he suspected. Duo quirked a grin. "You two been dating long?" The uncertain attempt at casual conversation made Wufei choke.

"We're not," he said immediately, the words strained as he fought them out around the bite of food seemingly lodged in his throat. He coughed, then jumped as Duo reached over to pound his back twice. 

"Sorry, man. Didn't mean to catch you off-guard like that. You two just seemed pretty close. I mean... can't imagine anyone else touching your hair and living to tell the tale, right?" Duo's eyes crinkled.

_You might,_ Wufei's traitorous mind supplied, and he fought the urge to frown. Duo would take the expression poorly, just as everyone had when he reacted outwardly to an inward thought. Instead, he drew a breath. "We... understand one another," he admitted softly. He didn't clarify just how they understood each other, partly because he didn't want to call attention to the flowers on her skin, but also because Duo's hand settled on his.

"I get it," he murmured. And then the hand was gone, and Wufei found his hand flexing at the loss of the warm skin. He wasn't the sort to initiate touch, but something about that brief caress made him wish... "So if you're not dating... is she seeing anyone?"

Right. Yes. He needed to pull his head away from thoughts of Duo's warm fingers and back to the conversation at present. It wouldn't do to fantasize, however innocently, about Relena's future suitor, after all. 

"No," he admitted, not quite sure why he was encouraging it. Or perhaps he knew all too well. Left to his own devices, he would likely never see Duo again, but Relena was a constant in his life. When she finally dated, he would have a chance to make another friend. He rather hoped it was Duo, really. "Do you see her very often?"

"She has plans to come back down to the shelter. She's picked out your new friend, but that wasn't exactly her plans the first time, after all," Duo reported cheerfully. Wufei frowned at the reminder of the cat Relena thought would be perfect for him. He had no business caring for a cat. "I'm anxious to see who she picks out. I've got a couple theories," he added conspiratorially. 

Wufei rose slowly to his feet, ignoring the way the corgi sniffed at his movement and nudged Duo's leg. Duo rose, too. "Relena... deserves someone who will not treat her differently because of the flowers," Wufei finally murmured, his voice low and stilted. Duo snorted, his gaze shifting away with an odd sort of guilt to it, and Wufei found himself wondering what he would find on Duo's shoulders.

"She deserves her soulmate," he countered, the words pulling Wufei's eyes back to his. "But then, don't we all, right?"

_No,_ Wufei thought, turning away to walk toward his car. Relena was bright and bold, but she'd also taught herself about abuse and survivors, about compassion and patience. Whoever her soulmate was had troubles she was determined to solve.

Wufei... had done the opposite.


	4. Delivery or Dine-in?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Just because you think I'm lonely," he started, and she interrupted him, slapping down the menus to punctuate her argument.
> 
> " _You_ think you're lonely, Wufei. I just happen to agree."

Relena sighed, dropping the textbook onto her stomach as she arched her back over the edge of Wufei's bed. When her shirt rode up, revealing a trail clematis along near the bottom of her ribs, Wufei grunted and pointedly turned his back. "Pull your damn shirt down," he directed sharply, embarrasment coloring his voice angry. Relena just laughed and did so.

"We've been at this for hours, Wufei. You're going to pass the test." She tossed the book aside to sit up. "Hell, you're probably going to set the curve, and we both know it," she pointed out. When he turned back to her, she grinned. "Not that I don't appreciate you having me over, but can we please take a break?" Not waiting for his response, she made her way over to her purse. "Decide what you want to eat. I'm paying." 

Wufei considered her as she spoke, then sighed and set his own book aside, knowing very well that when Relena was bossy, there was little sense in arguing. "Are you not ready for the semester to be over?" he asked instead, reaching toward his desk without actually rising. His apartment was tiny, but it was his alone, and that made it worth the lack of actual space. Hooking one hand in the bottom drawer handle, he tugged until he could reach the menus within and pulled them out to hand to Relena. 

"I'm ready for _school_ to be over, thank you," Relena countered primly, dropping to the floor beside him and going through the menus one by one. With each menu, she either placed it on the floor or handed it directly to him, but he didn't open any of them. Instead, he waited for her to finish her shortlist. "Have you been to the shelter yet?" Her eyes slanted to him, menus paused for a moment as she watched his reaction to the question.

He rolled his eyes, knowing exactly why. "Just because you think I'm lonely," he started, and she interrupted him, slapping down the menus to punctuate her argument.

" _You_ think you're lonely, Wufei. I just happen to agree." Determined eyes stared at him. "And since you won't consider dating the very pretty shelter owner, you should at least rescue one of the animals, right?" 

Wufei scowled, hating the word rescue. It unlocked a chill door in his chest, and his hands balled into fists. "...He's the owner?" he finally managed, when he couldn't find a neutral word in return for rescue. He was not going to fall into her trap. She would throw him at the world, if either of them thought he could save it. And the part he hated the most was the knowledge that he would let her.

"Yeah," she nodded, looking entirely too pleased with herself. Wufei realized abruptly that by choosing to discuss the owner rather than the cat, he'd made a classic blunder. Relena was far too skilled at controlling conversation. "And I'd tell you his life story, but he's so much better at story-telling. Do your primary research, hmm?" She smiled like a cat with cream, or perhaps a shark with a seal. Wufei rolled his eyes.

"When did you hear his life story, anyway?" he muttered. 

"The easiest way to make a friend is to spend time with them. And Duo's friendly. I like him." She stuck her tongue out, breaking the charged air between them. "Maybe even better than I like you." When he sighed at her goading, she grinned and patted his bare arm, her hand just covering the lotus near his elbow. Her fingers were warm against his bare skin, but not like the outside heat. "Don't worry though. I won't leave you." Airy promise, delicate touch. She would forever be a certainty in his life, possibly because she wouldn't have it any other way, but more likely because he wouldn't, either. 

"Then perhaps you should ask him to dinner," Wufei suggested, his voice low enough that he could hear the pouting in it. A twist of disgust ran though him, but only for a second, because already Relena was barrelling ahead.

"Oooh, great idea! Give me a second." She flopped to her back to grab her purse from where it lay near Wufei's desk, and he groaned softly.

"I didn't mean today!"

"Oh I know," she agreed blithely, eyes dancing at him. "But I'm adding him to your expansive circle of friends whether you like it or not." Wufei noted that she didn't even scroll through her contacts once she had her phone. Duo had quickly been put on the 'favorites' list, apparently.

Perhaps he should consider something a little more formal than take-out...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So these chapters will continue to be short, mostly because I'm not sure at this point whether I can do much more. It's been so long since I actually felt any joy in writing. I really should've considered revisiting an old fandom a lot sooner.


	5. Crowded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wufei wondered if the temperature could even be fixed using a thermostat.

"I brought drinks," Duo said, holding out a six-pack of beer to Wufei as he stepped through the door. Before Wufei could even take it, however, Relena was grabbing it to stick in the fridge. 

"You have a choice to make, Duo," she informed him, eyes sparkling with mischief, and the fact that she hadn't formally greeted Duo caught Wufei's attention. His eyes narrowed at Duo, thoughtful, then darted away as Duo glanced over at him.

"Er, okay. What's goin' on?" Duo asked, considering the room before moving to drop down beside Wufei. Relena sat on the bed with the confidence of ownership. 

"Wufei thinks we should go out to eat," she explained, while Wufei fought the grumble rising in him. She made the idea sound like pure stupidity... " _I_ say you'd be more comfortable ordering in. Since that's our primary concern," she added, and Wufei didn't have to look at her to know her smile was a touch smug, and her gaze was pointed, "you get to decide what we do. Crowded restaurant or crowded apartment?"

"And I'm guessing I don't get to hear what either of you prefer, comfort-wise?" Duo muttered, more to himself than either of them. Before Relena could answer, he continued. "So lemme see if I can figure it out. You," he pointed at Relena, "have spent plenty of time at the shelter, so you're not exactly averse to the idea of being out in public. If either of us embarrassed you, I bet we wouldn't even be here right now, so that's not an issue. So you're good with either, generally." He rubbed his chin, then grinned. "Of course, this is not just any occasion, and you want no distractions, am I right?" His eyes slanted to Wufei, and Wufei's shoulders straightened. 

It was warm in the apartment, Wufei decided. He'd changed before Duo had arrived, putting away his t-shirt in favor of the button-down long sleeves he wore to school, and ignoring Relena's frown. Relena was pretty in her t-shirts and tank tops, and glorious in her sundresses, and bold enough for the both of them. Wufei... wasn't ready for the look of pity in Duo's eyes. Flowers were not a pleasant sight over dinner, after all. Now, with Duo's stare on him, Wufei wondered if the temperature could even be fixed using a thermostat. A side thought threaded through his consciousness, just quiet enough to keep him from really registering.

Relena was right. He was a very pretty shelter owner...

"You're the one who'd normally stay in, aren't you? You want to go out mostly because it's... what? More formal? More appropriate?" Duo shook his head. Wufei was rather surprised to realize that Duo's eyes sparkled on a level with Relena's. ...They would make a good couple, he decided. Duo continued, oblivious to Wufei's internal discomfort. "Man, fuck that. Let's just chill here. You'll be more comfortable," he pointed to Wufei, "and you're making some point or other anyway," he pointed at Relena. "And I don't give a shit."

"Looks like we're ordering in, Wufei," Relena said sweetly. "Hand him the menus, won't you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Particularly short chapter because the fic wouldn't cooperate. XD


	6. All I Survey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If questions are all it takes, I may well already be doomed."

"Hey Wufei?" Duo asked, well after the food had been consumed. The three were ostensibly watching a movie that Relena had picked out, though Wufei's attention was barely on the screen. For all that his focus was sitting not even an arms-length away from him, both of them on the floor with pillows to provide some cushioning, Duo's voice still surprised him. On screen, the credits started to roll, and Wufei prepared to answer, as best he could, whatever question Duo had about the show. Wufei glanced over, lifting one eyebrow in invitation rather than speak just yet, and Duo's grin somehow changed. A few more crinkles appeared around his eyes, and his lips thinned with mirth. "I thought you said the two of you weren't dating."

On the bed, Relena coughed sharply, her shoulders shaking as she tried to get her breathing under control.

"We're not," Wufei shrugged. He waved toward the television, and Relena shut it off. "But since he doesn't believe me," he added, looking up at her, "you tell him."

"Nah, man," Duo shook his head before Relena could speak. "It's just...," he trailed off, looking between the two for a moment before grinning. "Kinda feels like maybe she's claimed your bed?" Duo was laughing at him, Wufei was sure of it. And somehow, he liked that laughter, because it felt... friendly. 

"That's because I'm the queen of all I survey," Relena intoned haughtily, looking down at the two of them from the length of her nose in an exaggerated pose. Wufei kept quiet, not quite sure how to play along with such teasing, and afraid to kill the mood in the room.

"Lady, if you start asking me questions, I'm outta here," Duo snarked back, sending Relena into giggles as he leaned over and shoulder-checked Wufei. 

No holding back with Duo in the room, apparently. Wufei cleared his throat and straightened his back a little. "If questions are all it takes, I may well already be doomed," he offered. "We've known each other for years, after all." Climbing to his feet, he made his way to the fridge in the corner of the room. "Anything?" he offered them, and when Relena lifted one arm, he tossed her a bottled water, followed by a flavoring packet from the basket beside the fridge. Duo watched them silently, startling ever so faintly when Wufei turned to stare at him.

"Uh, whatever man," he shrugged, so Wufei pulled one of the cans off out of the six-pack he'd brought, banking on the idea that Duo must at least like what he brought to the gathering. With both served, Wufei reached deeper into the fridge to pull out a bottle of coffee from his stash and opened it, setting the top near the sink before returning to his seat. 

"You bring up a good point, though," Duo finally continued. His words sounded a little awkward, but he forged ahead regardless. Wufei had to wonder if he would ever be as calm in a similar situation before deciding likely not. He may try to mimic Duo's apparent skills in socializing, possibly with similar results to when he tried to mimic Relena's, but he would likely never be as confident as them. "How many years are we talkin' here?"

Relena glanced over at Wufei curiously. "God, what? Nine years? Eight?" She frowned, her eyes never leaving his face. Wufei gave her a few moments before turning his attention to Duo. 

"September thirteenth will mark ten years," he said, shrugging. "But you should be warned that she does tend to take over." Relena spluttered, but Wufei ignored her because Duo's lips had quirked into a thoughtful half-smile, and Wufei was having trouble ignoring quite how attractive that expression really was. 

"Knows her mind?" Duo asked, as though Relena weren't sitting right there. "Not gonna be cowed by a glare?" He was perfectly still, but somehow Wufei could tell he was holding back his laughter. And yet, the questions didn't actually seem joking. There was a serious layer to them, underscored by the way he held Wufei's eyes. 

"I'll thank you to not talk about me as though I'm not right here, Duo Maxwell," Relena said archly, shifting her legs off the bed far enough to kick his knee lightly. In return, he grabbed her ankle, one hand hiding the orchid that decorated her distal fibula. 

Wufei smiled at the two, ignoring the odd thump to his heart as he watched their roughhousing. "I believe that answers your question, doesn't it?" he noted mildly.

Duo just laughed.


	7. Picture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He would go to the shelter.

There was something slightly unsettling about the picture Wufei found taped to his door that Sunday morning. He reached up, tugging it away from the wood slowly, smoothing the tab of scotch tape down the back as he stared at the skinny grey cat lounging in the center of the picture. The picture itself wasn't a problem, but he couldn't quite ignore the knot in his stomach as he unlocked the door and stepped into his apartment. He scanned the room, but saw no evidence that anything was moved. Had he even expected to? He wasn't entirely sure.

"Maybe it was Relena," he muttered, hoping that saying the words aloud might reinforce the concept but the action didn't help. Given that he knew it wasn't Relena's style, even when she was deliberately pushing him for something like adopting a pet, he hadn't really expected it to. And if it wasn't Relena's style, if it wasn't Relena's action, then Duo must have come by. 

He set the photo on his desk, dropping his backpack on the floor beside it, and sat down on his bed. So far, he hadn't had much time with Duo without Relena there as a buffer, and certainly the only time he'd spent with Duo here was the dinner and movie they'd shared with Relena on Thursday. He'd thought about inviting Duo back Friday and Saturday night both, but memory of Duo's pointed questions about Relena's relationship status stopped him.

Or maybe that was just an excuse, and he was too nervous to do it. Either was equally likely, really, and Wufei tried not to lie to himself about his reasons anymore. His eyes skirted over to the picture again, and he growled, getting to his feet. He would go to the shelter.

As he toed his shoes back on, he reminded himself that he was going to the shelter to see the cat in person so that when he refused to adopt it, they couldn't use that as an excuse. He was not going to see Duo. It was Sunday, and even if the shelter were open, certain the owner would be taking the day off. If the shelter were open... Wufei paused and glanced over at his computer. He could google the answer quickly enough, he thought, his determination wavering slightly. 

And then he was wrenching the door open as he dismissed the idea. Better to simply get it over with, before nerves kicked in and he balked.

\---

He arrived a full hour before the shelter opened, and groaned at his luck. But now that he was there, he wasn't about to simply turn tail and go home, so he made his way to the little coffee house next door, sliding into a booth and ordering coffee. And when the mug arrived a few moments later, filled with dark liquid and accompanied by little containers of cream and packets of sugar, he got to work doctoring it the way he liked it and trying not to ruminate on his poor life choices. Engrossed as he was in his task, he didn't notice the familiar voice immediately, but when he did, he looked up, glancing around the room until he spied Duo sitting at table at the opposite end of the diner. Even with the man's back to him, he would recognize that braid anywhere. In front of Duo sat a man wearing a tan uniform, half of his face in the shadow of the ball-cap brim over which read the words "Animal Control". 

"Just meet her, okay?" Duo was saying, his cajoling voice carrying through the diner. "It's important to me." _Meet her._ Wufei couldn't tear his attention away from the two, his eyes shifting between Duo's back -- relaxed, casual -- and the man's face -- closed off, frowning -- and tried to ignore that he was eavesdropping on a clearly private conversation.

"I don't promise to like her," the man informed Duo coolly. It was harder to hear that nasal voice, perhaps because Wufei wasn't as keyed to the sound as he was to Duo's voice. 

"You don't have to like her," Duo informed him cheerfully. "But you will."

"Because you do?" The sour question hit Wufei's middle like a stone, and he rose from where he sat, dropping a few bills on the table and making his way to the door quickly. 

He didn't quite escape before Duo's answer floated to him. "Of course!"


	8. Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The words bubbled out of him, froth from his frustration and anger escaping into the atmosphere, though it did little to relieve the pressure in his brain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains an argument. There is no physical violence, but for anyone uncomfortable with confrontation, I wanted to offer a warning beyond the one in the tags.

Wufei finally stepped into the shelter some forty-five minutes after it opened, his shoulders squared and determination on his face. He'd sat in his car for entirely too long, considering his reaction and the conversation he'd overheard, berating himself for even hoping. What had he hoped to accomplish, when he wasn't about to actually consider a relationship anyway? He'd known about Duo's affection for Relena, after all.

Only once he'd calmed himself had he considered his original mission and decided that it still needed to happen. Perhaps it needed to happen even more, with concrete proof in front of him that Duo intended for his friendship with Relena to turn into something more. Although... as Duo glanced up and smiled in surprise, Wufei fought the urge to turn tail. 

"You came!" Duo cheered, skirting around the bit of cheap counter to stand in front of Wufei. "Wanna meet her?"

"Meet... the cat?" Wufei blinked, thought derailed by Duo's immediate enthusiasm. "Why would I want to meet the cat?" 

Duo's smile dimmed faintly. "'Cause you fell in love with her picture and can't wait to bring her home with you?" he asked, hopeful. "Relena's not wrong. She'd be perfect for you. She's a quiet kitty."

"I am not here to adopt an animal, Duo," Wufei bit out, marching over to the counter and slapping the picture down on it. "And I don't appreciate your guilt-tripping me into coming, either." The words bubbled out of him, froth from his frustration and anger escaping into the atmosphere, though it did little to relieve the pressure in his brain. 

"No guilt trip," Duo said hastily, but Wufei cut him off sharply.

"You will not leave photographs on my door any longer. Nor will you give them to me in person, should we even meet again. I recognize that you're interested in my best friend, but I will not be bullied into anything." He turned, well-aware that his cheeks were red with fury and his eyes were flashing in that way that tended to intimidate anyone who tried to get close to him, and he hated both.

Duo, for his part, was frozen in shock. When he finally tried to speak, his mouth flapped open and shut a few times before he found his voice. "Interested in.... what the hell are you talkin' about, man?!" He shook his head violently as Wufei bared his teeth, his hands lifted in front of him placatingly. "No! No, no! That's not... I'm not interested in 'Lena!"

"You're lying," Wufei accused, taking a step toward Duo. And Duo's shock shifted into anger of his own.

"I don't fuckin' lie," he informed Wufei, taking a step forward as well. They both took another, and then they were in each other's faces, breath mingling between them and eyes crackling fire. Wufei's hands balled into fists at his side, even as a tiny corner of his mind wondered in amazement that Duo wasn't cowed. "'Lena's not my type, but even if she was, I wouldn't be goin' through YOU about it!" 

Wufei dragged in a shaking, furious breath, and forced himself to step back a pace as he fought for self-control. He watched as Duo calmed himself down in turn, but looked away when Duo raised an eyebrow at him. 

"You know what?" Duo finally bit out, and though his body language suggested he was far more relaxed than he had been, his voice was still that furious growl. "If you're not gonna apologize to me, you can just get the fuck out. I've been nothing but friendly to you, and I do not need this shit." He turned his back to Wufei deliberately, making his way toward the door at the back of the small front-room. "And Relena's not gonna apologize for you, asshole, so don't even try. When you get your head out of your ass enough to realize how wrong you are, I'll listen. Until then," Duo glanced back from the doorway, "let the door hit ya on the way out. Might do ya some good." 

He slammed the door behind himself, leaving Wufei alone in the front room of the shelter still shaking from fury and frustration. On the counter, two feline eyes peered at him from a photograph, but Wufei knew the judgement there was all internal. It always was.


	9. Amoeba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I know you have the emotional range of an amoeba, but what in the actual fuck, Wufei?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fighting, then actual talking! TW for verbal arguments, all the same.

It took Wufei nearly half the day to fully stop shaking after the fight, and every time he thought back to Duo's denial of his intentions, his fists clenched again. So he put the whole interaction out of his mind, first with stretching and what exercise he could manage in his tiny apartment, and when that did nothing, by heading out of his door for a walk around the neighborhood. It took four laps and a little over an hour before he finally calmed enough to think that he could handle the silence of his home again, and as he made his way to his front door, he looked up and groaned.

Relena stood beside the door, her arms folded and her face a thundercloud as she watched Wufei approach. Anyone who thought Wufei's cultivated scowl was intimidating had never seen the fury of an angry Relena, Wufei thought sourly, but he didn't hesitate in his steps. They had been friends for nearly a decade, after all. Unlike those mythical others, he'd seen Relena at her best and worst, and she'd done the same for him.

She didn't speak until the door shut behind them both, and even then, she started with a slow breath dragged through her teeth as she kept her temper under control. Perhaps it was something in the air, Wufei's mind whispered irrationally, but rather than share it with her, he turned to grab some water for both of them.

"All right," she finally snapped, counterpoint to the fridge door shutting. "I know you have the emotional range of an amoeba, but what in the actual fuck, Wufei?!" Mutely, he held out a bottle to her, and she grabbed it, slamming it down on the counter unopened.

"Duo called me to make sure I knew he wasn't interested in me _like that_. When I asked why, he said I should talk to you," she continued, spreading her hands on the counter and leaning into it a little, toward him. He had the impression she was using the furniture as a barrier between them.

"I'm tired of the two of you insisting on the cat," Wufei snapped in reply, and snarled at the blink of confusion on Relena's face. "He may have brought the picture, but both of you have been pushing, and you know it. I do not appreciate being bullied into something, as You. Well. Know." Realizing that he was literally biting off the words, each one emphasized with a click of his teeth as he tried to get it through to her, he growled low in his throat and pushed past her to drop onto the floor near the foot of his bed, still clinging to the bottle he'd kept for himself.

"We're not bullying you, dipshit!" Relena stared at him for a second before lifting her eyes skyward. "I don't know anything about this picture you're talking about, but it's not some grand conspiracy! And even if it was, where the hell are you getting the idea that Duo wants to date me?" He watched as she took a deep, shaky breath before stalking over to drop down in front of him. "What the hell is going on, Wufei?"

"He's been asking about our relationship since I've known him." Wufei managed to lower his voice from the shouting match after a few calming breaths, calming as Relena calmed. "Since that first lunch we shared, in fact." Despite his determination, his eyes skirted away from hers to stare at the desk behind her.

"Our relationship," Relena repeated, one eyebrow raising before she snorted and dropped her head into her hands. "Wufei, you are way too smart to be this fucking stupid." She rubbed her forehead with one hand hard enough to leave red marks across the pale skin. 

"He wants to introduce you to his friend. That doesn't suggest he's interested in you?" Wufei pressed, lips a thin line as his teeth ground together. If this kept up too long, the lecture he'd get from his dentist would last an entire day.

"Maybe, if he hadn't told me outright he's not," Relena muttered, turning her back on him to crawl up onto his bed. Once there, she flopped onto her back to stare at the ceiling. "But since he did, can we maybe entertain the notion that he thinks his friend would be into me, instead? Or does that make too much sense for whatever bullshit your brain is hopped up on?"

"My brain is not...," Wufei cut himself off in the middle of the thought, blinking as the suggestion slapped him in the face. "His friend?"

"Clearly not," Relena agreed dryly. "But now that we've determined he's probably going to set me up on a blind date, can you pull your head out of your ass long enough to apologize and vet the guy before I'm forced to make a decision?"

"His...," Wufei started to repeat, before pulling himself out of the circling confusion to look up. From his angle, all he could really see was the edge of her profile as she continued to watch the ceiling. "If I have the emotional range of an amoeba, I'm surprised you trust me to vet anyone." His heart was slowly calming from the rabbit-fast pattern it had been beating in his chest, sense finally starting to return. 

"You're still my best friend," Relena muttered waspishly, finally rolling to the edge of the bed to stare down at him. "And we both know that it only takes one bad meeting for a girl to... find herself in trouble." 

"...I can't vet anyone if Duo won't talk to me anymore," Wufei noted hesitantly. When Relena stretched out one long arm, he reached up to take her hand, squeezing it gently. She liked touch when their fights were over, and he found that it usually helped to ground him back into reality as well.

"Emotional. Range. of an Amoeba," she repeated slowly, rolling her eyes. "Apologize!"

Petulantly, Wufei let go of her hand. "And what about him?" he demanded, finally opening his water bottle to take a long drink.

"What, exactly, did he do that was so bad again? Because if it was just considering setting me up...."

Wufei let her trail off as he gathered his thoughts, wanting to present his case clearly for her to dissect. Long friendship had led them to this odd ritual, and Relena waited patiently enough. "I got home from the library this morning to find a picture on my door."

"Stalkery?" she pushed, and he glared half-heartedly at her.

"It was a picture of that cat you picked out," he muttered. "I don't appreciate the guilt-trip, and you know it." He opened his mouth to continue, but stopped as Relena breathed out a low sound of comprehension.

"Wufei," she finally murmured, twisting to her stomach and grabbing at his arm. Reluctantly, he lifted it enough for her to grip his wrist. "He doesn't know how you feel about things like that. It's," she hesitated for a beat, clearly trying to soften her words, "not a common reaction." Her long years of playing diplomatic intermediary between him and his family gave her the ability to navigate the conversation without infuriating him. "But it is a natural one. You just have to... explain it to him."

Wufei opened his mouth to respond, then closed it when he realized he had nothing to say that she wouldn't immediately counter. They'd had this same conversation at least twice before, after all, and both times, she'd been right. When he finally managed to say anything, the words were quiet, a grudging pout not aimed at her. "I wouldn't react like that if I could help it."

"I know," Relena said gently, eyes warm. "But I bet if you clue Duo into your trigger, he'll be able to navigate around it just like the rest of us." She squeezed his wrist lightly. "Either way, he still deserves an apology, don't you think?"

Wufei's hand arm remained limp in her grasp as he looked away. "...Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have hated writing these last few chapters, because I'm not fond of fighting like this, but... it's starting to get better! I hate the miscommunication trope in romances, but do appreciate it when it makes sense with the character - especially if it's followed by actual communication.


	10. Clover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So you've got the sense God gave a doorknob after all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Oblique discussion of shitty families.

The night before, Wufei had fallen into bed with Relena's advice still knocking around his head. His dreams had been unpleasant, mental exercises in every way that following her advice could blow up in his face, but when he rose the next day, he felt resignation rather than trepidation, because she hadn't been wrong when he'd had to apologize to their friend Quatre. And he knew she wasn't wrong now, even if he suspected he deserved Duo's anger.

Knowing he didn't have to leave the house for a bit, he opted for coffee before changing out of his tank and sweat pants, waiting blearily for the tiny coffee-maker to finish as he tried to sort out his day. Final after lunch, another one after that, and then he could make his way back home to study over dinner. It didn't leave a great deal of time to deal with the situation with Duo, and Wufei vaguely wondered if he could get away with putting it off for a day just on his schedule alone. Nearly the second he decided that Relena would kill him for it, a quiet knock sounded on the door.

Wufei frowned, padding toward the door. The only one of his friends who knocked that quietly was Quatre, but he hadn't seen the man in person in nearly six months, when university schedules had pulled them apart. Occasionally Relena would drag them together online, but... perhaps Quatre's school had let out earlier than his own? He opened the door and froze.

"Hey," Duo muttered, eyes staring at the doorjamb rather than at Wufei. "Wasn't sure you'd be awake this early." His voice was... not warm, precisely, but kinder than Wufei had expected. "'Lena said you have something to tell me." Duo frowned, then finally looked up, staring straight into Wufei's eyes. "I'll be honest with you - if whatever it is doesn't start with an apology, I'm out of here. Figured you should know where I stand."

Wufei was suddenly desperately aware of his naked arms and the flowers that spread over them. He wanted to drop his eyes, but somehow couldn't, because if he could just hold Duo's eyes like that, perhaps the man wouldn't notice his state of undress. His mouth opened, fluttering a bit before Duo scowled.

"I know you can talk," he informed Wufei sharply, and shoved his way into the apartment, his shoulder catching the middle of Wufei's chest and pushing him out of the way. "So fucking talk already."

"I am sorry," Wufei finally managed, shutting the door and fighting the urge to lean against it. His heart was racing again, his body shaking faintly with adrenaline. When he fought, he could justify the adrenaline surge in his mind, but contrition just seemed like too much weakness for a fighter's chemical.

"So you've got the sense God gave a doorknob after all," Duo noted, dropping down to sit on the bed. Wufei looked away. "I'm not forgiving you yet, but you earned a chance to explain what the fuck all that was, at least." Duo waved one hand at Wufei's desk chair, and Wufei sat slowly, drawing a measured breath. When he didn't speak, Duo snorted. "Look, you wanna start with what was up with the picture, or why the idea of me dating Blondie was such a big deal? You seemed pretty pissy about both."

Wufei's hands twisted together in his lap, the only outward sign to the inward flinch Duo's question brought up. "I... Relena's been a part of my life for nearly a decade," he began slowly, afraid that Duo might interrupt him as he tried to put the words into some semblance of order. Duo, however, simply sat, his hands on his knees as he leaned a little toward Wufei. "She's the reason I made it to school after my family disowned me," he finally admitted.

"You're one of her favorite people," Duo whispered gently. "She told me so herself."

"She is... one of mine," Wufei nodded. His gaze lifted to Duo, watching the way Duo's eyes traced over his face and down his arms. "My family had certain plans for me, and my... nature... was not considered an adequate reason to ignore those plans." His jaw worked, nails dragging against the purple clover at his inner wrist. Though he never broke the skin, the sharp sensation helped to ground him. He tried to figure out what to say next, but Duo's hand derailed his thoughts by gently catching his and pulling it away from his arm.

"Sounds like we both had shit families," he offered, a thumb rubbing along Wufei's knuckles. Wufei's shoulders lifted in a wordless shrug. "So the bullying thing... from your family?"

"Yes," Wufei breathed, relieved to have it out without explaining it thoroughly. Quatre had required the whole story. Relena had lived it. It was nice to just... have it accepted, for once.

"And the thing about 'Lena," Duo said thoughtfully, using his grip on Wufei's hand to tug the man closer. Wufei's desk chair rolled across the carpet with more ease than Wufei expected, allowing Duo to position him directly in front of the foot of his bed, facing Duo, nearly close enough to feel Duo's body heat. "You're not her boyfriend." The words weren't a question, but Wufei nodded, all the same.

"Nor her soulmate," he admitted, nearly jumping as one of Duo's hands lifted to touch the azalea at his shoulder.

"I think I know who her soulmate is," Duo admitted softly. "I was gonna introduce them... see if they get along half as well as I expect." He took Wufei's hand and turned it so that he could see the purple clover, his thumb teasing over it delicately. Wufei tried to ignore the fact that he was shaking again.

"Your friend from the coffee shop?" Wufei managed, wincing as he realized how strained his voice sounded. Duo blinked, then grinned widely, and his thumb paused directly on top of the clover. 

"Should I be worried you're stalking me?" he teased. When Wufei stiffened, Duo chuckled. "Kidding! I'm kidding, 'Fei. I think you'd like Heero, too, but... maybe not that way." His eyes danced. "'Lena got a new flower on her shoulder a few days ago. Did you notice?"

Wufei bowed his head. "I stopped paying attention when we were younger. It was painful, always comparing flowers." 

For the first time, Duo looked ashamed, his eyes glancing away, though his hand remained against Wufei's skin. "I'm sorry about that," he whispered unhappily, gaze dropped to the floor. Wufei dared to lift his free hand to nudge Duo's chin back up, and their eyes met again.

"Why?" he whispered, confusion and pain making the words even softer than he'd originally planned. Duo's crooked smile was guilty.

"I think this might be mine," he admitted, and his thumb rubbed over the clover lightly, the touch tickling and warm and exciting all at once.


	11. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sight felt like a sucker-punch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: discussion of previous suicide attempt

At some point, without noticing, Wufei had stopped shaking. He sat silent while Duo's thumb caressed his clover, just staring into Duo's eyes. He half-expected Duo to start talking again, but Duo held still, watching him back with the same cautious amazement. For several interminable seconds, the entire world seemed to stop. 

And then Duo drew in a shaking breath and Wufei realized that he'd been too still. "Yours," he whispered, not sure if the word was a question or a statement. Duo nodded. His hand moved away from Wufei's arm to unbutton his own shirt, and he pulled it off, tugging his hands through the sleeve cuffs without unbuttoning them, so that the whole shirt flipped inside out. He tossed it to the corner with little apparent care for what would happen, and the tank-top underneath showed plenty of examples for the origin of Wufei's flowers.

Wufei lifted his hand, his fingers delicately trailing over a vicious-looking oval on Duo's left arm. "I have a camellia here," he whispered, frowning. "A red one. It showed up..."

"Three years ago?" Duo muttered, chuckling. "Not all the animals at the shelter come from good homes." It somehow surprised Wufei to see the sad cast to Duo's eyes as he skirted the explanation.

"Rather like us?" Wufei suggested. The words stuttered out as Duo wrapped his right hand around Wufei's left one, turning it palm up so that the clover was visible. When he placed his own left hand alongside it, the expected scar was easily visible. The sight felt like a sucker-punch.

"It... I wasn't in a good place." Wufei tried to breathe around the squeezing in his chest, but any hope of that disappeared as Duo tried to explain. "I can't promise I'll never be there again, but..." The words faded, shame creeping over Duo's face. Wufei tugged his hand free of Duo's grip so that he could reach up and cup that sad face, gaze into those shimmering eyes. 

"You don't have to tell me what happened," he said, flinching at the harshness of his own voice after Duo's whispers. "You don't. But will you make me a promise?" When Duo stayed silent, Wufei brushed his fingers through Duo's hair, curving around until his hand fit the back of his head, and pulling Duo forward enough that he could properly hold Duo. "If you ever plan to give me flowers again... you have to promise to call and tell me first."

"What if I can't?" Duo whispered into Wufei's neck. Wufei's shiver had nothing to do with the warm breath against his skin in that moment, as his mind conjured up memories of how scared he'd been when the clover appeared. 

"That's why you promise me," Wufei said gently. "If you can't, then you have to wait until you can." His hand stroked over Duo's braid, down the length of the chestnut hair. Duo's arms crept around him, and the wheels on the chair allowed Wufei to move closer. 

"I promise."

"Thank you," Wufei breathed, sagging a little in relief. His head turned so that his lips could brush against Duo's temple, and he heard a little hiccuping laugh. He had loved every one of Duo's laughs until that moment, but that tiny, shame-filled sound was one he never wanted to hear again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another extremely short chapter here. This one was... very difficult to write, and continuing straight from here just didn't feel right for my formatting. Story's not over yet, though. More will come, when my brain stops chasing its tail again.


	12. Missed Lunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Have we settled things?"

"You know," Wufei whispered some hours later, his voice pitched low in a weak effort to break the silence as gently as possible, "we might want to consider dinner at some point."

"Dinner?" Duo blinked, and slowly began to sit up, stretching out his back as he twisted to look at Wufei, who remained stretched out on the bed. Without Duo's warmth against him, the tank-top he wore was a little chilly in the cool breeze of the overhead fan, and he watched Duo's eyes trail over his goosebumps. He could see the way Duo considered curling back up against him float through his eyes, almost immediately derailed when Duo's stomach decided to make its displeasure known.

"We did rather nap through lunch," Wufei noted dryly, a smile lurking on his lips as he sat up. His hand brushed against Duo's back, the action meant to be comforting to them both, a reminder that though the moment had ended, they had many more ahead of them. "Do you... feel better?"

"Depends," Duo said slowly, leaning back against that touch before scooting to the edge of the bed. "Do you? Have we settled things?"

Wufei chuckled. "Not everything." He waited for Duo to get up before he followed suit. In one smooth move, he bent down to grab up Duo's now-rumpled shirt and shake it out. "But I'd say we have plenty of time for all that, as long as we've got the most important bits out of the way?"

Duo started to nod, but the movement slowed as he tugged on his shirt. "I never meant to seem like I was bullying you, you know," he suddenly noted, frowning a little at Wufei. "And it may seem like this explanation is just more, but... will you hear me out?" Perhaps it was the hours they'd just spent wrapped together, silent comfort for each other, that kept Wufei from immediately balking, but he imagined it probably had more to do with the worry evident in Duo's eyes. At Wufei's nod, he sagged in relief.

"When she first came into the shelter, Relena talked about you. She said she wanted to get a pet because pretty soon she'd be going off to graduate school, and she was so used to having you around that it would probably be lonely." Duo smiled. "Animals can be a huge benefit to someone struggling with mental health issues, you know? I mean, that's part of why I'm in the job I'm in now, but 'Lena had articles about it printed out, and graphs suggesting what creatures and breeds would be best for which issue, and... it was a little insane, to me."

Wufei chuckled softly. "That's very much her, though," he pointed out. "She once told me that just because she couldn't save the world didn't mean she had to stop trying. It's taken her some time to learn moderation, and in some cases, she's still learning it."

" _That_ was moderation?" Duo demanded, his eyebrows migrating ever closer to his hairline. 

"She came in for her own mental health," Wufei pointed out mildly. "She wasn't exhausting herself solely for my benefit. It's a positive change." 

"Maybe not entirely for you, but she definitely had you in mind when she saw the cat. She talked about you... so much." Duo's cheeks warmed to pink, and he dragged his braid over one shoulder so that he could play with the tip. "We talked about what you were like, and in the end, I figured she was right about the cat. "But I also figured..." His voice trailed off for a moment, and he took a breath. "Well, I'm not going anywhere. She says you have problems with changes, and with making friends. Change sucks, but I knew there was something about you the minute I saw you."

Wufei raised an eyebrow. "You didn't believe I was your soulmate immediately?" he questioned coolly, clearly annoyed at the thought that Duo might have leapt to such a conclusion.

"Not so much," Duo chuckled. "Nah, it's more... you and 'Lena both seemed pretty cool. And when we had dinner together, I started realizing that I wouldn't mind hanging out with you on a more regular basis. I already suspected 'Lena was Heero's soulmate, and it seemed way too convenient that you might be mine, but, there was still something about you. You were nice to me. You actually cared about what I thought, even though you weren't afraid to put your foot down for your own comforts, too. Whatever we end up being, I'd like it to be an equal thing, okay?"

Wufei's smile was slow to appear, but he reached to touch Duo's hand lightly. "An equal partnership, then. I like the idea of equality." He ignored the tickle of pleasure as Duo's entire face lit up with his smile. "And... I will meet the cat, but I make no promises."

"I wasn't trying to push you," Duo started to protest. Wufei waved the words away.

"That, and Relena's reasoning, are the reasons I'm willing to meet the cat," he assured Duo. "Relena has my best interest at heart. It worries her that I might be basically alone without her to help me make new friends. You may be planning to help with that, as well, but you won't replace her in my life, and we're all aware of that."

"Yeah," Duo agreed, relaxing. "Her sundresses probably wouldn't look nearly as good on me, anyway," he winked.

"Perhaps not," Wufei allowed, shrugging. "If you wished to try, I wouldn't stop you. But I do want something from you."

"Oh?," Duo asked, and through his leer, Wufei caught the slightest hint of discomfort. He filed the sight away in his memory rather than confront it head-on. They weren't on stable enough footing for that conversation just yet.

"I want to meet Heero before you introduce him to Relena," he asserted, voice firm. 

"Of course," Duo agreed, the darkness gone from his eyes as he beamed. "So cat and Heero. Got it!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're slowly reaching the end, y'all! It's felt really good to write this, and I'm so grateful to everyone who reads it. Thank you for taking a chance on my work!


	13. Vetting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Duo explained what he believed. I demanded proof."

"So, where exactly were you sitting, anyway?" Duo asked, as they made their way into the coffee shop that had been so key to their previous fight. Wufei huffed at the question, but waved his left hand toward the corner. Duo nodded, nudging him to turn right. "Heero's kinda like us," he noted casually. "Doesn't like change, so we usually sit in the same spot, unless it's occupied. This is our booth right here," he added, sliding into the booth where they'd been before and tugging on Wufei's arm so that Wufei would slide in beside him. "That's better," Duo grinned, handing Wufei a menu.

"You must come here a lot," Wufei observed when Duo opted not to pick up a menu himself.

"It's close to work, and one of the few places Heero will eat with me without a guilt trip," Duo shrugged cheerfully. "Plus, it may look like a greasy spoon, but the food's actually pretty good. They _know_ how to make waffles." 

Wufei nodded absently, looking over the menu as he waited for the man who was to join him. The warm chatter of Duo's voice washed over him, inconsequential observations and small talk that relaxed him, rather than making him feel out of place, perhaps because they had already discussed how poorly Wufei dealt with small talk and expectations therein.

"You'd be Chang." Wufei twisted half around as Heero approached the booth, sliding into his side smoothly though his eyes never left Wufei. Wufei had considered, briefly, the idea of possibly leaving his long sleeves at home, but the knowledge that Duo covered his scars just as much as Wufei covered his flowers made him dismiss the notion nearly immediately. Now, sat across from Heero, whose eyes were dissecting him from a distance, Wufei was glad of the choice he'd made. 

"You would be Heero...?" He glanced at Duo.

"Yuy, yeah, that's my friend," Duo agreed, flashing a grin at Heero. 

"And what relation are you to this girl Duo wants me to meet?" Heero asked abruptly. Like Duo, he ignored the menus, but unlike Duo, he wasn't wearing long sleeves. Wufei had half-expected to see him in the same clothes as before, which was a stupid thought, really, because he was clearly off-duty now. There was a multitude of scars over his arms and the bit of leg Wufei had glimpsed below Heero's black cargo pants. Wufei thought back to hibiscus shrub covering one side of Relena's right leg, flowers blooming over the course of nearly three years. It made for an arresting image. Relena had been thrown entirely off-kilter when Wufei informed her of the name of the hibiscus type. 

"I'm her best friend," Wufei finally responded, his eyes once more on Heero's as he smiled slowly. "Nearly her brother." 

"I don't know how he got you on-board this whole mess," Heero began, his voice dismissive and cold. He didn't make it any farther into the rejection.

"Duo explained what he believed. I demanded proof," Wufei shrugged, setting his menu down fully and folding his hands over the laminated paper. "Please understand that I will protect her with my life. I owe her that much, even if she wasn't my friend." Though he was smiling, his face was somehow frighteningly neutral. Duo shifted uncomfortably beside him, but Heero remained still and calm under his regard.

"So you agree with him, then," Heero said. Caution flitted through his eyes, just quick enough that had Wufei blinked at that moment, he might have missed it. Almost before he could register the sight, it was banished back to the neutrality from before. Wufei found his smile slowly warming.

"I do, actually," he decided. That caution came back, shadowed with discomfort and worry well-hidden enough that Wufei had to be searching for it to see the minute shift of Heero's mouth, or the tiny crease between his eyebrows. "And based on previous evidence, I further believe that she will be good for you."

"Previous evidence?" Heero asked sharply. Beside Wufei, Duo cocked his head in curiosity.

"Nearly ten years ago, she took one look at a boy stifled by his family, and set out to expand his world. You would benefit from her warmth."

"She wouldn't benefit from mine," Heero countered, waving a server over. He ordered his usual, and Duo's, then raised an eyebrow at Wufei.

"A bowl of soup, please, and a coffee, no cream, no sugar," Wufei ordered. Once the server had walked away, Wufei returned his attention to Heero.

"She'll benefit from your protection," he said certainly, and was gratified when Heero visibly startled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heero's so damn hard for me to write! Yeargh.


	14. Seating Arrangements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There's beauty in everything."

"I can't believe you haven't seen his house, yet," Relena laughed, all but dancing beside Wufei as they made their way up the short path to the front door. 

"You haven't either," Wufei snorted, half-heartedly glaring at her bright smile. If he'd been trying to actively quell the cheerful spirit inside her, he would've been disappointed at the results. However, since he wasn't trying any such thing, her peel of laughter drew out a faint smile of his own.

"Yeah, and we both know how important it is to him that _I_ see how he looks when he's comfortable at home," she teased. Her hand lifted to knock on the plain brown door, but before she could, it swung open.

"You made it," Duo grinned, standing just inside the threshold. He glanced briefly at Relena to include her in the welcome, but once his eyes were on Wufei, they seemed to linger. Wufei's chest tightened as he smiled back.

"We made it," he agreed, barely noticing as Relena slipped around Duo before she'd even been invited inside. Duo held out a hand to Wufei, and Wufei smiled quietly, taking it and letting Duo guide him inside. They stood just inside the door for several long seconds, Wufei drinking in the sight of Duo's smile as Duo's thumb teased lightly over Wufei's knuckles.

"It's a beautiful house, Duo." Relena timed her compliment to coincide with the door swinging shut, the two sounds startling the men out of their reverie. The hot flush of blood to his cheeks was intolerable, and Wufei tried to tug his hand away, to cover his embarrassment somehow as Relena watched him without remorse. But his hand stayed in Duo's suddenly-unbreakable grip, and he gave up after the third tug. 

"Let her get it out of her system." Duo leaned over Wufei's shoulder a bit, his mouth settled near Wufei's ear so that Relena couldn't overhear him. "I think she's having fun."

"Yes, but..." Wufei protested, twisting to look at Duo.

Duo dropped a peck to Wufei's lips, the soft touch barely felt before it was replaced by the sight of Duo's amusement. "But nothing. She's gonna have to get used to the idea of seeing us together anyway... right?"

"Is he here yet?" Wufei asked, rather than answering Duo's question aloud. What need was there to say the words when a simple movement would suffice? And Wufei's answer was to lean back against Duo's chest, feeling the way it hitched in response. 

"Not quite. He's running a little late," Duo admitted, his voice faintly shaky as he dropped another chaste kiss on Wufei's neck, then pulled away. "But I have someone for you to meet." 

"You brought her?" Relena demanded, her eyes sparkling. Wufei's gaze slanted between the two, and he frowned slowly.

"Only because Wufei chose to meet her," Duo responded, turning to look at Wufei. "You did say you would meet her." Wufei searched Duo's face, taking in the way his smile was suddenly still, and the hesitant look to his eyes. 

"Does she have a name?"

"I'll tell you afterward, okay?" Duo relaxed. Wufei's hand reached out, nearly touching Duo's before he drew back again, replaying the sight of that smile in his mind as his hand clenched at his side. "So," Duo broke him out of his thoughts with a sharp word and a clap of his hands. "Blondie, you get the couch," he directed, pointing toward the small living room they could see through an archway. "Wufei, you're in that chair," he added.

The chair Duo directed him to was plush, with wide arms and a wide seat. As Wufei settled into it, he got the impression that they could probably fit Duo in beside him, possibly with Relena and Heero as well to fill out the seat. Sitting properly in the chair was nearly impossible, so Wufei settled, finally, for tucking himself against the arm closest to Relena and resisting the urge to bring his feet up to rest in the empty space.

"Perfect," Duo said with satisfaction. "I'll be right back." He turned, braid dancing behind him as he darted out of the room. Relena looked over at Wufei, mystified, but Wufei merely smiled. 

"He might fit in pretty well at your parents'," he smirked. "He's the type for seating arrangements." He watched Relena frown in thought for a moment, and his smirk shifted to a proud smile as she mouthed 'control issues?' at him. When he nodded at her, she nodded back, looking at the couch for a moment before shrugging and toeing off her shoes so that she could tuck her legs up under her skirt. The fabric fell around her right leg, and Wufei was pleased that she'd worn the pale blue skirt. It framed the bright colors of hibiscus perfectly, complimenting the way the petals warmed from vibrant outer yellow, through orange into a central deep red, all the while picking up the highlighting veins of blue-white fanned through the petals. 

When Relena smoothed her hand over the fabric, Wufei realized she'd arranged it on purpose. He looked up at her.

"There's beauty in everything," she said calmly. "And if this new mystery friend you plan to introduce me to can't see that..."

"It's an interesting concept," Heero noted from the doorway. Wufei looked over, catching the faint smile on Heero's lips, and the impression he'd gotten at lunch mere days before rocked through him once again.

"Yeah, it is," Duo agreed, dropping down beside Wufei and depositing a tiny black kitten into his lap. "So that's Heero. Heero, you sit on the couch," Duo directed, pointing directly at Relena. Wufei could absolutely understand the way her cheeks brightened to pink. Duo was clearly a force to be reckoned with when he was given the reins. "And this little cutie doesn't have a name yet." He looked up at Wufei, eyes wide and hopeful, so close that if Wufei wanted, he could lean over to kiss the man. "But if it feels right, maybe you can help with that?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's at least one more chapter coming. I know that much, but I don't know anything beyond that, because every time I think I know exactly how this story is gonna wind up, something changes.
> 
> Also, there are at least two questions from previous chapters that are, as yet, unanswered. They will be, y'all. Hold out hope!


	15. Harmonious Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I never really thought about flowers as pretty before you two."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Oblique reference to animal abuse in this chapter. I tried to keep it pretty vague, but that can sometimes be worse, depending on your imagination and triggers.

"You know," Duo noted after dinner was over and the four of them were lounging around his living room. His arm draped around Wufei's shoulders and over Wufei's chest, and the small black cat was nestled contentedly on Wufei's lap. Wufei's first impression of the over-stuffed chair had been accurate. He and Duo fit perfectly. Across from them, Relena lounged against the arm of the couch, her legs stretched out against the cushions. The foot with the hibiscus was settled in Heero's lap, twitching every so often as Heero's scarred hands brushed over the colorful skin. "I never really thought about flowers as pretty before you two."

"Before Relena, you mean," Wufei pointed out, well aware that he was still clad in long sleeves and long pants. Duo just chuckled, setting his free hand atop Wufei's, where it rested on the kitten's back.

"It's rare to see anyone display their soulmarks in such a way," Heero agreed, his voice low and even. When Relena tugged her foot away, Heero's hand fluttered in the air for a moment before dropping to rest on his lap, clenched into a fist.

"People have to see that it's not a shameful thing," Relena informed all of them sharply, sitting up straight so that she could glare at each of them in turn. "We have this culture of pity and shame directed at flowers, but pity only serves to degrade all of us." Duo and Heero blinked at each other, each of them squirming a little as Relena glared at them. Wufei simply watched, petting the kitten with placid aplomb as she spoke. "Flowers aren't any uglier than scars, and yet flowers are the ones that get all the attention, because they're so much more eye-catching."

"That's not the only reason, Relena," Wufei chimed in quietly. Duo and Heero turned wide eyes to him for a moment before their attention was directed back to Relena.

"I know that," she frowned. "But the thing is, most of us don't have any idea why the flowers appear. There's no provable connection between the type of flower and the scar it represents. I mean, were you having a happy day when... whatever it was happened to your leg?" She kicked out her right leg at Heero's chest.

"It was a happier day than most of the others." Heero's words were measured out slowly as he caught her leg mid-kick, lifting it so that he could look at the hibiscus up close. "Why? Is there some particular reason?"

Wufei was the one to answer. "It was such a striking set of colors that we looked up the type of hibiscus it was. It's called 'Harmonious Day'." He watched Heero trace a finger down one petal, over the veins of pale blue-white to the deep red center. Relena shivered almost violently, tugging her leg away.

"Maybe there is a connection then," Duo chimed in. Suddenly the central focus of three pairs of eyes, he simply grinned. "That scar was the day that Heero decided to go into animal control. It wasn't a fun day, exactly, but... I mean, how much fun can a dog bite really be, right?"

"What does he mean?" Relena asked, watching Heero's face closely. Wufei doubted the others noticed, but after so many years as Relena's closest friend, he was well-attuned to the way her muscles relaxed. Her leg, still held in Heero's hand, softened slightly, ready to settle back into the man's lap when he let go.

"Duo and I were taking a shortcut across a neighbor's yard," Heero said quietly, still staring at the flower rather than looking at any of them. "We always had to be careful of his dog, but that time, the dog was nowhere to be found."

"At first," Duo muttered. His arms tightened around Wufei slightly. 

"When we found our neighbor, he was," Heero continued, stopping suddenly as Relena moved. In a motion Wufei remembered teaching her long ago, she wrenched her leg from his grip, and followed it through by planting herself on his lap, her hand smashed against his mouth.

"I don't want to hear about the dog," she said firmly, but Wufei could hear the strain in her voice. Only the fact that Heero immediately fell silent allowed Wufei to remain sitting. "I don't need to know about your scars if you don't want to tell me. And... I may not be able to handle some of the stories even if you do," she admitted softly.

Heero nodded under her hand. As she released his mouth, Wufei saw her shiver faintly. "That was the day I decided that I could protect someone," Heero shrugged. Before, he'd been talking to all of them, but now, his eyes remained laser-focused on Relena's face. "It was the happiest day I ever recieved a scar on."

Duo's arm slowly withdrew from Wufei's shoulders. As Wufei looked up, Duo slid off the chair and reached out to pick up the sleeping kitten. Even as Wufei fought the urge to reach for the kitten, his hand twitched, and Duo shifted the cat to one hand while the other grabbed Wufei's wrist. "Come on," he whispered, nodding to where Relena and Heero sat staring at each other. Wufei let Duo drag him out of the room.

The last thing he saw was Relena's head leaning toward Heero's, her eyes shut and a soft smile on her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Harmonious Day Hibiscus](https://afrolegends.com/2015/01/08/hibiscus-flower-harmonious-day/)
> 
> So this isn't quite over. There's still a question left to answer, and it just doesn't feel done to me. Not sure at the moment where else I'm going, though. I legit thought both questions would be answered in this chapter, but it ended up being only the flower name.


	16. More Important

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year ago, he wouldn't have laughed. Even two weeks ago, he would have castigated himself for his choices, reinforcing the lessons of his childhood all over again.

"I think Heero's probably going to follow Relena when she goes off to graduate school," Duo said softly, setting the kitten down on the floor of his bedroom and turning to look at Wufei. "I... can't make the same sort of promise, though."

Wufei smiled, shutting the door behind them and moving to stand in front of Duo. There was a soft chirrup at his feet, but he ignored the tiny animal in favor of the man before him. "It's not a concern, Duo."

"But it is," Duo insisted, frowning a little. "It's taken us so long to find each other. I mean, there were times I didn't think I'd even survive to meet you!" He reached out to grab Wufei's wrist again, his thumb pressing against the purple clover. "I don't want to be apart from you anymore." He scowled, looking down at their feet as he tried to figure out what else to say.

Wufei lifted his free hand to cup Duo's cheek, urging Duo to meet his eyes once again. "We have time to figure it out," he whispered, the delicate sound threading through his racing heart. "I'm not graduating this semester, and when I do, we'll make the plans together."

"Wait," Duo blinked, stepping a little closer. "What do you mean, you're not graduating this semester? When Relena came to the shelter, all she could talk about was how you two were going to be separated in graduate school. She was so worried!"

"We'll still be separated," Wufei shrugged, glancing around the room before guiding Duo to sit down on the foot of his own bed. Wufei sat beside him. "She's headed off to school. She did graduate. And that's something she and Heero will have to sort out for themselves. But... I still have two classes to finish."

"She said you were graduating, though." Duo's brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand."

"I likely would have," Wufei nodded. Beside them, the kitten hooked her tiny claws into the comforter that draped over Duo's bed and started climbing up. It was not a graceful climb, but she was determined. "But on the day of two of my finals, something... more important came up." Duo snorted, and Wufei found himself laughing.

A year ago, he wouldn't have laughed. Even two weeks ago, he would have castigated himself for his choices, reinforcing the lessons of his childhood all over again. "We talked, Duo," Wufei said quietly, turning his arm in Duo's grip to show him the clover again. "Being with you felt a little more important than a couple of tests on that day."

"Wait," Duo blinked, the color draining from his face as Wufei's implications sank in. "You mean, you had..."

"Two of my finals were that day. When I contacted my teachers after the fact, they informed me that a soulmate connection was not a good enough reason to miss my finals. It's two classes, Duo. It's not the end of the world." Wufei twisted his hand free and reached down to scoop up the kitten from where she hung about halfway up the comforter. 

"I've already made arrangements to take the equivalent classes over the summer, and the extra couple of months will give me time to do research on graduate schools that can accomodate my degree here, if I even pursue it that far." Duo's mouth opened, then closed as he tried to figure out what to say, but Wufei wasn't quite done. "You have a life here, and animals that need you. I don't want to take you away from that." 

"Live with me," Duo blurted out.

Wufei smiled warmly. "You're my soulmate," he noted softly, stroking one hand over the soft fur of the kitten's back. She purred an accompaniment. "But I'm not really sure what I want our relationship to be like. I'm a pretty private person." He gestured to his long sleeves. "And so are you. And I don't think either of us are ready for...," he trailed off, trying to find the right word in himself.

"Maybe we could get a different place? Be... roommates?" Duo suggested quietly. "You're right. I mean, I don't really want... to go too fast." Wufei could hear how Duo picked his way delicately through the maze of language. "But I like spending time with you. And it feels better when you're nearby. We could look for places while you're still in school?"

"That sounds like a good plan to me," Wufei agreed softly. "A place big enough for the three of us, then?"

Duo's smile was wide and warm. "The three of us. You, me, and...?"

"Mei."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't think I'd make it this far when I first started this story! First, I thought it would be maybe a couple of chapters, and when it kept going, I thought that maybe my ability to write would fizzle out before I managed to end it. 
> 
> It felt really good to return to this fandom, and it reminded me that I can revisit old fandoms even if no one seems to be reading or writing about them anymore, because I'm not the only one out there looking for a touch of nostalgia.
> 
> Readers, thank you so much for taking this journey with me. The fact that you chose to even give this story a chance means more to me than you can imagine. <3


End file.
